TROUKLER
ROAD SAFETY – IS EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS
Today, I would like to comment on an issue which is becoming increasingly problematic in Seychelles. I don’t know whether it is simply a lack of efficient driver training or not. The roads in Seychelles, although poor, are by and large relatively well marked with the required stop signs and signals, although there are some deficiencies in a number of areas.
Despite these ever present markings there is often a tendency for road users (drivers) to simply ignore the road rules relating to signs and a failure to practice courteous driving. There are many areas for example where clear double lines are evident, for example at the Pointe Larue area, near the schools crossings. Despite these obvious markings, which disallow any stopping/parking, many drivers, including bus drivers and Police vehicles ignore the rules. There is available ample bus parking/car parking adjacent, yet drivers persist in breaking the rules.
The Junction ahead of the new roundabout after providence, the entry into the new roundabout and the entry into the temporary road on the highway near the Cascade bridge all provide, a second slow vehicle approach lane. It is generally accepted internationally, that drivers should keep to the left hand side of the road in countries that follow the left hand principal as Seychelles does. Almost without exception, careless drivers, including again the Police, fail to keep to the left hand side and occupy the right hand lane, which should be only for overtaking purposes in the case of very slow vehicles using the left lane. Drivers should approach in the left lane until they reach a point in the road where the lanes merge. In reality this does not happen and very frequently, there are instances of near collision with drivers failing to allow vehicles in the left lane to merge as they should, where their lane ends. Merging drivers should not be forced to wait for vehicles passing them on the right and the junction of the roads, this is clearly dangerous if they are forced to stop before merging. As I use the roads every day I have taken note of the drivers recklessly breaking the rules and it appears to be frequently the same drivers everyday.
I ask myself have they been appropriately trained? Do they really know the road rules? Do our Police know the rules? I wish to point out at this juncture that we should be concerned by the apparent lack of an effective traffic control Police Unit in Seychelles. It has been many months since there has been a traffic control policing of the highway. Drivers frequently, with total disregard for other road users, overtake on the highway in the most dangerous and careless manner, including police vehicles. I ask you, where are the standards of road use? Who is policing the roads? Does our Police have access to speed guns? Do they know how to trail a speeding driver and pull him over? What of their own officers who so frequently break the rules, including talking on a mobile or drinking in the car or speeding recklessly? When are we going to introduce on the spot fines or confiscation for use of a mobile while driving? Most modern States have long since adopted the necessary laws.
Do our drivers know how to reverse park a vehicle? It seems not. Almost without exception I note drivers entering a side parking from the front, often leaving their vehicle sticking partly into the road. Do they know that they need to allow room in front for a driver who may wish to do a reverse park? Do they understand that buses should be given the opportunity to enter the driving lanes? In most well developed countries, where road laws are enforced, as soon as a bus driver signals his intention to enter the road from a lay by, the drivers behind the bus must stop and give way to allow the bus to enter unimpeded. This is particularly important because there are no bus lanes in Seychelles. Recently I had the opportunity to hear an SPPF MNA actually call within the National Assembly for the Police to ignore the law and allow the hooligans who persist in dangerous driving on the highway to carry on with their dangerous behaviour. No Mr. MNA “I PAS GOU POU GETE’. What they are doing on a highway which was never meant for race car driving is risking their young lives, those of their passengers and the other innocent drivers who happen to get in their way? Let us all encourage responsible driving not wanton irresponsible behaviour in our youth.
One could write a whole discourse on deficient road habits in Seychelles but I wish road users and authorities to ponder on the matters raised and do the necessary to ensure that we practice and enjoy safe comfortable driving practices in Seychelles. It is not hard it just take a willingness to understand common road etiquette.
A MAYOR FOR LIFE
One of the greatest criticisms leveled at dictatorial states is that they appoint people in positions without giving those on whose behalf they act, the opportunity to have a say in their appointment.
We have often heard of the appointments for Life of Presidents in some parts of Africa like Idi Amin Dada. In Seychelles we are unfortunately, not that far removed from this kind of scenario. I have had the opportunity, as have many Seychellois to live, work and travel abroad. I have visited many beautiful, well managed cities across the globe. The Cities, Counties, Districts, Burroughs, or whatever name they possess, are managed by an elected Council system, headed by an elected Mayor.
The Community has a democratic right to select those individuals to serve on the Council including the Mayor. This is what accountability and good governance is all about. How do we bring our city managers or our Mayor to task when they have failed to act appropriately or in the greater interest of those they purport to represent?
In Seychelles there are no laws governing the actions of the Mayor, no terms of reference as to the duties and most importantly no legal means available to the population at large to remove a sitting Mayor.
The ‘Mayor’ of our City, who spends a great deal of time running around the world presenting herself as Mayor has never been elected. We have never had an opportunity to pass judgment on her activities or whether she is the appropriate person to hold the austere title and for how long should she holds the title. Is it not about time that this most undemocratic of institutional situation be resolved?
She may be a nice lady, but we deserve the opportunity to decide for ourselves as to who we wish to represent our city in Seychelles and abroad. Is there a representative board managing Victoria as it should? Do we allow the community to enter the discussions of the board (Council) as they do abroad? When is our input as a community ever considered? Are we to expect that the incumbent will hold the position for Life? As a community I urge all of us to write to our ‘leaders’ and demand that this kind of situation be resolved. We cannot be taken for a patsy for ever. It is unhealthy in a democratic society. Change can indeed be positive.
GLENNY’S JOB FOR LIFE?
Talking about appointments for life, if you tuned in to the Face-à-Face program this week, you will have no doubt heard Mr. Glenny Savy tell us that ever since the Island Development Company was created in 1981, he has been the only person to have led the company during its entire existence. There are some who would say that the job was created specifically for him but even without this possibility his situation is unheard of in any democracy worthy of the name.
It is not quite clear what it is that Mr. Savy has achieved with the Island Development Company during his tenure. Agricultural production is down, tourism development starts and then falters and now he claims that his company will soon be giving its approval for land speculation on Descroches à la Eden. What revenue the operation generates he did not elaborate during his interview. But the worst part is his failure to create employment on the islands. Let’s take the Rs.8million subsidy that IDC has been receiving from the government every year since 1993 until 2005 and you come up with a cool Rs. 104,000,000. And how many jobs has he created with this kind of money – only 275. (His claim on TV that there are now currently about 340 workers based on the outlying islands overlooks the fact that a number of that are under the employ of the tourism operators and not IDC directly.) Just imagine the number of jobs that would have been created on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue had a responsible government invested this money differently? Furthermore, what he says and what he does are oftentimes contradictory. Let’s take his claim that he is concerned that the islands might undergo a development in the future that could be viewed as a ‘development sauvage.’ Are you kidding, sir? What do you call 2 tourism developments on Silhouette alone? I think the time has come for you to do the honourable thing!
